Wednesday, March 30, 2016

For a list of good internet Christian and Bible-related
websites--including Bible-study sites and websites featuring
commentaries, sermons, and articles, apologetics, historical writings,
scholarly theology journals, articles and sermons in non-English
languages, and websites dedicated to informing about and answering
Islam--go to the "ECLEA Courses & Resources" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/courses.html).

Friday, March 25, 2016

Last Fall I completed my ECLEA teaching book, Christianity and Islam: Theological Essentials.
Since that time I have read a wealth of material that led me to make
some additions and changes and, most importantly, add a concluding
chapter on bridging the divide between Islam and the gospel,
particularly by using the Qur'an and various aspects of Islamic culture,
thought patterns, and practices as bridges to the true Jesus and the
gospel. In a sense, this final chapter ties the rest of the book
together and makes it very practical. I have used multiple Muslim
sources, and the bibliography lists which sources are by Muslims,
ex-Muslims, and non-Muslims. Also, for all the sources that are online, I
have included the internet address so that you can easily find and read the
source materials on your own. I have posted the book on the "ECLEA
Courses" page of the ECLEA website (http://www.eclea.net/courses.html#islam). You may download and use it for free. Here is a synopsis:

Christianity and Islam: Theological Essentials covers all of the most important aspects of both Christianity and Islam, as follows:

1. Basic overview of Islam
(size and growth, Islamic sects, sources of authority, the "five
pillars," the six articles of belief, festivals and holy places, and a
history of Muhammad and Islam)

2. Jesus and Muhammad
(the Islamic view of Jesus, evidence for the crucifixion, evidence for
the resurrection, biblical evidence that Jesus is the "Son of God" and
implications of that fact, the Qur'an's view of Jesus, and the character
of Muhammad)

3. Sin and salvation (according to Christianity, according to Islam, and implications)

4. Yahweh and Allah (their similarities and their differences, and a detailed discussion of the Trinity)

5. The Bible and the Qur'an (the
development of the Bible, the Islamic view of the Bible, reasons why
the Bible is reliable and has not been corrupted [including the Qur'an's
and Muhammad's affirmations of the reliability of the Bible], Muslim
claims that Muhammad was prophesied in the Bible and a consideration of
the major biblical passages Muslims believe prophesy of Muhammad, the
development of the Qur'an, contradictions and errors in the Qur'an, and
the Islamic "doctrine of abrogation" and its implications)

6. Bridging the divide between Islam and the gospel
(factors that lead Muslims to turn to Christ, factors that facilitate
the witness of the gospel to Muslims, using the Qur'an and Islamic
culture as a bridge to Christ and the gospel, and dealing with questions
and objections)

I also include three appendices:
the chronological order of the Qur'an's surahs, a sample of what
Muhammad and Islam require and forbid Muslims to do and believe, and the
"99 names of Allah."

If
you have any particular feedback, comments, suggestions, or critique, I
would love to hear from you. Enjoy!

About Us

Jonathan is the Director of Equipping Church Leaders-East Africa(ECLEA). ECLEA’s mission is to glorify God by training and equipping East African church leaders with sound and relevant biblical doctrine in order to transform lives, the churches, and communities.
Learn more about ECLEA at eclea.net.